1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to an improved design for transferring mechanical power through the use of a fluid medium. The present invention employs an impeller system in a variety of applications including hydroelectric turbines, fluid turbines, fluid transmissions and pumps of various types.
2. Description of Prior Art.
Various forms of impeller systems have been employed in a diversity of inventions, including turbines, pumps, fans, compressors, homogenizers, as well as other devices. The common link between these devices is the displacement of fluid, in either a gaseous or liquid state.
Impeller systems may be broadly categorized as having either a single rotor assembly, such as a water pump (U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,821) or homogenizer (U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,448); or a single radially arranged multi-vaned assembly, such as a fan or blower (U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,499); or a multi-disk assembly mounted on a central shaft, as in a laminar flow fan (U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,183). Impeller systems employing vanes, blades, paddles, etc. operate by colliding with and pushing the fluid being displaced. This type of operation introduces shocks and vibrations to the fluid medium resulting in turbulence, which impedes the movement of the fluid and ultimately reduces the overall efficiency of the system. One of the inherent advantages of a multi-disc impeller system is obviating this deficiency by imparting movement to the fluid medium in such a manner as to allow movement along natural lines of least resistance, thereby reducing turbulence.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,061,142 describes an apparatus for propelling or imparting energy to fluids comprising a runner set having a series of spaced discs fixed to a central shaft. The discs are centrally attached to the shaft running perpendicular to the discs. Each disk has a number of central openings, with solid portions in-between to form spokes, which radiate inwardly to the central hub, through which the shaft runs, providing the only means of support for the discs.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 1,061,206 discloses the application of a runner set similar to that described above for use in a turbine or rotary engine. The runner set comprises a series of discs which have central openings with spokes connecting the body of the disc to the central shaft. As in the aforementioned patent, the only means of support for the discs is the connection to the central shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,961 describes an fluid driven turbine generator utilizing a single rotor having magnets secured in a receptacle shaped portion and spinning about a stationary core to produce electricity. Fluid jets drive the single rotor by impinging on a circumferential roughened surface of the receptacle shaped portion of the rotor. The present invention is distinct from the above in that it employs a multi-disc impeller system rather than a single rotor.
There is a need in the art for a more efficient means of displacing fluids and generating power from propelled fluids without introducing unnecessary turbulence to the fluid medium and loss of energy transfer through heat and vibration. The present invention alleviates the shortcomings of the art and is distinct from other pumps, turbines and transmissions. The present invention provides a compact, efficient and versatile system for driving fluids and generating power from propelled fluids.
The present invention is for the efficient transfer of mechanical power through a fluid medium. The various embodiments of the present invention exploit the natural physical properties of fluids to create a more efficient means of driving fluids as well as transferring power from propelled fluids.
The design of the discs and runner set of the Tesla pump and turbine have significant shortcomings. The discs have a central aperture with spokes radiating inwardly to a central hub, which is fixedly mounted to a perpendicular shaft. The only means of support for the discs are the spokes radiating to the central shaft. The disc design, the use of a centrally located shaft, and the means of connecting the disks to the central shaft, individually, and especially in combination, create turbulence in the fluid medium, resulting in inefficiency. As the disks are driven through a fluid medium, as in a pump, or caused to be driven by a fluid medium, as in a turbine, the spokes collide with the fluid causing turbulence, which is transmitted to the fluid in the form of heat and vibration. In addition, the spoke arrangement creates cavitation in the fluid medium causing pitting or other damage to the surfaces of other components. Furthermore, the arrangement of the runner set does not sufficiently support the discs during operation, resulting in a less efficient system. Finally, the arrangement of the shaft through the middle of the discs interferes with the natural path of the fluid causing excessive turbulence and loss of efficiency.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a Turbopump system is provided. The Turbopump system may be used to displace all forms of fluids, whether liquid or gaseous, and is equally well suited for high volume and/or high pressure applications as well as low to medium pressure applications. Within the housing of the Turbopump is an impeller assembly possessing a series of parallel flat disks arranged perpendicularly along a rotational axis to a central hub. Each disk has a central aperture, and the parallel arrangement of multiple disks creates a central cavity of the impeller assembly. The disks are arranged on the central hub with spaces between to allow fluid to be drawn through the central cavity of the impeller assembly, as well as between individual disks. Support plates are attached to the first and second ends of the impeller assembly to provide sufficient mechanical strength during operational use. Each of the disks are interconnected by means of spacers and connecting rods attached to the interior perimeter of each disk and supporting plate. The connecting rods in turn are attached to a central hub. Connected to the central hub assembly is a driving means for rotating the central hub and impeller assembly, such as a motor or some similar mechanism.
The design of the present invention has significant advantages over the prior art. The multi-disk impeller assembly possesses significantly more surface area in comparison to single rotor designs. The increased surface area in combination with viscous drag operation creates a vastly superior design. Additionally, elimination of the central shaft and creation of a central cavity within the impeller assembly contributes to efficiency. The central shaft of conventional designs impedes the natural flow of fluid through the impeller system and also contributes to turbulence and loss of energy transfer by generating heat and vibration. By employing a central hub design, a central cavity of the impeller system is created, which permits fluid to flow unobstructed through the impeller assembly, thereby reducing unnecessary friction and turbulence.
Operationally, the driven impeller assembly works in conjunction with the interior surface of the housing to create a net negative pressure which draws the fluid medium through an inlet. The pump possesses a means for rotating the impeller assembly so that the plurality of disks are rotationally driven through the fluid medium, which displaces and accelerates the fluid through viscous drag to impart tangential and centrifugal forces to the fluid with continuously increasing velocity along a spiral path, causing the fluid to be discharged from an outlet. The principle of operation is based on the inherent physical properties of adhesion and viscosity of the fluid medium, which when propelled, allows the fluid to adjust to natural streaming patterns and to adjust its velocity and direction without the excessive shearing and turbulence associated with traditional vane-type rotors or impellers.
According to the present invention, as the disks of the impeller assembly are rotated and thereby driven through the fluid medium, the fluid layer in immediate contact with the disks is also rotated due to the strong adhesion forces between fluid and disk. The fluid in that layer is driven radially outward by the combined force of the adhesion or frictional interaction and the centrifugal force caused by the rotation thereof. The fluid adjacent to the fluid in immediate contact with the disk is also moved radially outward, but with an incremental decrease in energy due to the shearing stresses caused by the movement of the fluid in the fluid layer in contact with the disc. The incremental loss of energy imparted to the fluid progresses outwardly away from the surface area of the disc through the fluid resulting in less movement imparted to the fluid medium. Consequently, adjusting the spacing between adjacent discs such that this loss of movement is minimized enhances the flow rate and overall efficiency of the invention. In general, the spacing of the disks should be such that the entire mass of fluid is accelerated to a nearly uniform velocity, essentially equivalent to the periphery of the disks, and thereby generating sufficient pressure by the combined centrifugal and tangential forces imparted to the fluid to effectively and efficiently drive the fluid.
As can readily be appreciated, the flow rate is in proportion to the dimensions and rotational speed of the disks. As the surface area of the disks is increased by increasing the viscous drag surface area, so too is the amount of fluid in intimate contact with the disks, and therefore the greater the amount of fluid being driven, increasing the flow rate. As the number of disks are increased, the overall viscous drag surface area also increases, which also results in an increase in the flow rate. In addition, as the rotational speed of the impeller assembly is increased, the greater the tangential and centripetal forces being applied to the fluid, which will naturally increase the flow rate of the fluid.
The dimensions of the pump, the surface area and spacing of the disks contained within the impeller assembly will be determined by the conditions and requirements of individual applications. The efficiency of the pump, or other device employing the inventive impeller, is considerably improved over conventional mechanisms. The Turbopump requires approximately half the energy to drive the system, as compared to a conventional pump, and is approximately 25% smaller. The Turbopump has wide applications including air pumps, air circulators, circulating pumps for engines to transfer all types of fluids, pool and fountain circulating pumps, propulsion jets for baths and spas, air humidifiers, well and sump pumps and vacuum pumps. Also, because the Turbopump generates little heat during operation with consequential heating of the fluid medium, it is well suited for displacing low temperature liquids, such as liquefied gases. The Turbopump does not utilize paddles or vanes that collide with the fluid medium and therefore may be used to displace temperature and turbulence sensitive fluids, such as food products and biological fluids. The several embodiments presented herein all employ the inventive impeller assembly, or a modified version, to perform a wide variety of tasks.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a Marine Jet Pump is provided. As with the Turbopump, the Marine Jet Pump utilizes an impeller assembly and employs the same principles of operation. As the impeller assembly is rotationally driven through the fluid medium causing the fluid to accelerate, the resultant negative pressure within the housing draws water from the external environment through a specialized conduit and is eventually discharged through an exhaust port to supply the propulsive force. The exhausted fluid is preferably attached to a standard marine directional nozzle to direct the fluid stream. The present invention eliminates the use of the standard multi-blade or vane impeller systems, resulting in less turbulence and loss of energy through the generation of heat and vibration.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a Hydroelectric Turbine is provided. This embodiment of the present invention also employs a similar impeller assembly but, rather than applying power to the impeller assembly for the displacement of fluids, the Hydroelectric Turbine provides power through the impeller assembly via propelled fluids. The same fundamental principles of fluid dynamics and transfer of energy apply, but in reverse. The kinetic energy of the fluid is transferred to the impeller assembly to provide rotational movement to the shaft, which is harnessed in any number of ways. The sub-components of the impeller assembly for this embodiment have several modifications to accommodate the method of operation. These modifications are described below.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a Fluid Turbine is provided. Similar to the Hydroelectric Turbine, the kinetic energy of the fluid is transferred to the impeller assembly to provide rotational movement to the shaft, which is harnessed in any number of ways. The same fundamental principles of fluid dynamics and transfer of energy apply as previously described. The sub-components of the impeller assembly for this embodiment have several modifications to accommodate the method of operation. These modifications as well as a detailed description of the embodiment are described below in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a Turbine Transmission is provided. This embodiment comprises a number of subsystems, including a turbine section, a pump section, a sump assembly and a high pressure line interconnecting the pump and turbine sections. The subsystems are combined to form a closed system through which a fluid medium flows. This embodiment is particularly useful for driving items with a soft engagement requirement, such as motion sensitive machinery, marine use and most any other application requiring especially smooth, quiet and efficient transfer of power. The Turbine Transmission is especially adaptable to close quarters installation requirements and offers significantly lower noise and vibration levels during operation. Many of the features of the sub-components of the Turbine Transmission, as well as principles of operation, are described in the detailed description of the Turbopump and the Fluid Turbine. Additional modifications and features will be described in detail below.